Importance of Play in Your Toddler's Life

1 to 3 years

Created by Sugandha Tiwari
Updated on Apr 05, 2018

Play! It is truly one of the best things that childhood has to offer and something that every child must enjoy. Children develop and grow in the best possible manner when they have the freedom to explore themselves through the medium of play. In a time where swings and slides have been replaced by iPads and television screens, it is even more important to make a conscious effort to create opportunities for play. And what's more – when you play with your toddler, you become one! Relive those days with your little one. Read on to find out why play is extremely important for your toddler.

The Importance Of Play In Your Toddler's Life

Your toddler has just learned that he is capable of anything – whether it is climbing atop the table mountain, or crawling through the laundry tunnel. Give him opportunities to explore freely without too much interference and too many "No's." Here's why play is important for your toddler.

Exercise for his tender muscles: Rough and tumble and outdoor play are the kind of play forms that create opportunities for your child to practice different physical movements, and in turn exercise his tender muscles. So don't be anxious the next time he runs to the monkey bars!

Builds muscle strength and develops balance: The entire body expands during the play time building muscle strength to hop, jump, run and skip. The rhythmic movement of the swings allows your child to balance and coordinate

Flexible joints:Your toddler's joints become flexible, and her delicate fingers become strong and firm. Some other forms of play, such as with sand and water will stimulate her senses. These play sessions help your little angel eat and sleep well too

Expose your child to natural beauty: Outdoor play is also an excellent way in which your child is exposed to natural beauty and habitat around. Remember! The next time you take your little one out to play, don't forget to capture the moments on your camera and carry back memories in the form of twigs, dry flowers, or shells

Benefits Of Play In Social And Language Development

Now, let's look at the other benefits of play in the areas of language and social development, and the enormous amount of contribution it makes towards overall personality.

Social development: Play encourages your child to interact with peers and make friends. It directly teaches her to be with other people, develop habits of sharing,and caring for others

Teaches your child to be a problem solver: Your child learns to control impulses, follow rules and naturally devise plans to solve problems and deal with situations

Teaches your child to express himself:Play creates a non-threatening atmosphere for your child to freely express his emotions, desires, feelings and moods, and at the same time practice empathy and compassion for others around

Language development:Your child's language development happens during both structured and free play. When he comes up with stories, and enacts make believe characters and situations, his thinking and imagination skills expand. He will be able to verbalize dialogues on his own, using already learnt language from his existing environment at home, school, market or any other familiar place. The design of play includes use of lot of vocabulary like up, down, swing, roll, join hands, turn around, click fingers, run faster, jump higher, and kneel down

Other benefits: Play can also have a therapeutic effect, through the means of "Play therapy." Here, both verbal and nonverbal play based activities are used to treat children who are either ill or are under some form of depression or prolonged sadness. The activities are designed and conducted by trained therapists in order to help a child vent out her suppressed feelings

So, let nothing stop you – neither the hot weather, nor the cricket match being telecast on television – from spending some fun times outdoor with your child. How about a real game of cricket with a toddler-sized bat? Let's put those mobile phones and tablets away for a while and hit the parks. Nothing helps your toddler develop in these early years like play. And what better way to bond with her, right?